Greater Manchester powering up for electric cars

Transport chiefs have already revealed the proposed location of more than 50 electric car charging points across the region.

by Charlotte Cox

14:50, 19 Feb 2013Updated14:51, 19 Feb 2013

The G-Wiz whilst recharging

Greater Manchester is aiming to become Britain’s electric-car capital – with a raft of charging points.

Transport chiefs have already revealed the proposed location of more than 50 electric car charging points across the region.

The first locations will include Chorlton, Withington, Northenden, Fallowfield and Rusholme district centres, as early as next month. Each bay will have enough space for two cars, which can park for up to three hours at a time.

It’s part of bigger plans for 160 charging points on streets, at park-and-ride-sites, and in other popular locations across the region.

Private companies have also agreed to fund 20 charging bays.

The proposal comes from a consortium led by Transport for Greater Manchester and the region’s 10 district councils.

Transport for Greater Manchester says it plans to have 50 charging points in place by the end of March, with the rest to follow in the summer.

Some will be available between 8am and 8pm and others open 24 hours. They will be reserved for electric car charging only.

The Greater Manchester scheme is forecast to cost £2.7m, with £1.7m coming from a government grant and the rest from the 10 town halls.

“You’ll be able to sign up as a scheme member to use the charging points, or people can use pay-as-you-go technology similar to that employed in car parks.

“TfGM has its own electric car and the technology is impressive. We will be running an awareness-raising campaign in the near future so that people can learn more about the scheme and the environmental and economic benefits of electric cars.”

Six so-called ‘pod centres’ will also be built so that drivers can lease, hire and charge electric vehicles or join electric car clubs.

They will be in key sites including the city centre, airport, Oldham, MediaCityUK, Stockport and the Trafford Centre.

Up to 25 pods could eventually be built under plans being drawn up by the Manchester Electric Car Company (MECC), a new firm set up to run the project. A consortium led by MECC has match-funded the government’s grant.

A ‘fast’ charging point can fill up a car’s battery in up to three hours while a rapid charge will take about 30 minutes.

Government advisers say Britain needs to have 1.7m electric vehicles on the road by 2020 if carbon cutting targets are to be met.

As of this year, motorists can claim for grants of up to £5,000 toward the cost of electric-powered cars, part of the Plugged-in Places programme run by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, which is currently funding a range of projects across the country to support the charging system.